As you may all know (or not) i’ve been living down South for the past couple of months and i’ve been trying very hard to find a hill worth riding. It’s taken a while to scout out the different riding spots in the area, though thanks to this book and a couple of helpful forums i’ve found a handful of people and places to get my biking fix.
Nearby where I live I have Epping Forest, i’ve only explored small sections of this place and sure it has plenty more to offer, good little place if I want to squeeze in a quick ride after work during the week.
To the north of me and not too far from work I have Woburn and Chicksands, both cool little spots well known for their dirt jumps and short snappy downhill runs, Woburn also has a very nice pump track while Chicksands has some short northshore sections and a fun 4X track.
To the west you have the ‘best downhill in the south’ apparently. Aston Hill is closer than both Woburn and Chicksands and does actually have some good downhill runs, short xc loop and a 4X track. The 4X track could do with some work and the xc loop is a fun but short warm up, the downhill tracks are where the real action lies here and you have a choice of a few. They all depend on skill level but most people will be able to ride and get some fun from them all, though the black run is probably best for people who are used to steep, technical tracks with some good trail experience. My favourite so far is DH4, not as rooty as the rest but has a good balance of fast and technical sections.
Further south seems to have the largest variety of trails that i’ve found so far and probably the place i’ve visited most. Swinley Forest has a lot to offer in a relatively small space, lots of little singletrack runs that can easily be strung together for longer days, and a nice little jump gully where you can work on your airtime skills. Surrey Hills is the other place in this area and has loads to offer, a few different hills with decent climbs and views and some really nice singletrack all over. There are jumps, technical sections, smooth singletrack, hidden local tracks and plenty for any level of rider to enjoy.
There may not be any ‘real’ hills down here but there is a surprising amount of riding to be had if you look hard enough and are willing to find the helpful locals to show you the best spots.
